


Back to School

by skargasm



Series: Family, Pack - Same Difference [8]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, LJ Prompt, M/M, Pack Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 10:07:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2187717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skargasm/pseuds/skargasm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Surviving the summer felt like a victory but now it was time for the dreaded return to school…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back to School

Taking a huge sip of the hot chocolate steaming gently in his mug, Derek considered the hand written list. Fortunately, most of the items had been crossed off—any items remaining could be grabbed at a later date. Part of him couldn’t quite believe that they had survived the school holidays. Six weeks of Van and Angel running riot around the house, constantly in need of supervision and entertaining had been at times stressful, hectic, fun and hellish. But here they were at the end of the summer and they hadn’t gone bankrupt, the house was still in one piece and they had managed to have a good time. 

The visit to Cleveland to visit a long-lost cousin had been illuminating. Faith was a trip and a half and Stiles had been alternately terrified and enamoured of the stunningly beautiful but violent woman. Angel had decided she wanted to be just like Faith and it was difficult explaining to a born werewolf that it was different from being part of the Slayer line and that traditionally, people like Faith had once hunted people like Angel. Strangely, Faith had had the most success in explaining it to Angel and had taken the little girl under her wing. Nothing could have surprised Derek more than watching his six year old daughter being taught the basics of self-defence by the red-lipsticked brunette. She reminded him of Allison—underlying vulnerability but with an inner strength and a solidity of character that only came from facing the darkest parts of yourself and making it through to the other side. He couldn’t say he particularly liked her partner—Robin Wood seemed very rigid in his views and had seemed to view Derek as a predator first, man second—but finding family sometimes meant you had to accept their life choices and Robin was very much Faith’s choice. 

Robin and Faith were talking about visiting Beacon Hills for Christmas, depending on what the rest of the Slayer army were up to for the holiday season. And that was another kick in the pants—Derek found himself in the surreal position of being able to call for back-up from a freakin’ army of ass-kicking girls who thought Van was the cutest thing ever and took turns braiding Angel’s hair. It was a far cry from how life had been for them when he first became alpha. 

He sighed again, readily admitting that thinking about the summer was an avoidance technique. He was completely exhausted and not sure how he was going to get himself back onto his aching feet and get them home. Somehow, Stiles had won the toss that meant he got to kit out Van which was so much easier than handling Angel—all the boy needed was several pairs of industrial strength jeans, a slew of t-shirts that showed various super heroes, sneakers and underwear. Angel was a whole different kettle of fish. He had tried to bribe Lydia into doing it but once she understood that it was for school and therefore came with a budget and a need for utilitarianism over style, she had walked away with a sneer. Erica was on the verge of dropping her and Boyd’s cub so that wasn’t going to happen; Kira had volunteered but then she and Scott had gone off to visit her parents back in New York and Allison had merely laughed in his face. 

So here he was, sitting opposite his daughter, having successfully negotiated on how many skirts she was allowed to have and how short they were allowed to be; which socks went with which outfit; whether she really needed those pink leather boots when she already had the bright red patent leather Mary Jane’s; and just how come the days of the week underwear didn’t include Sunday? He actually found himself thinking he would rather face another kanima than have to enter the madness that was the mall during return to school shopping again. The people were insane.

Stiles insisted that Derek always had an easier time of it than he did—something about all that manliness surrounded by frilly pink seemed to send sales assistants into some sort of frenzy where they were practically throwing things at him in an attempt to help the gorgeous hunky dad dress his cute daughter. Not so cute when she started growling because she felt that some of them were encroaching on Papa’s territory but a flash of Alpha eyes dealt with that and he wasn’t above feeling grateful that she was on his side because some of those sales assistants were terrifying in their intensity.

“So, are we done Daddy?”

“I think we are Angel-pie. We can get the boots a little closer to winter; we have socks that match all of your outfits and I truly think you look adorable in all of it—you know I’m telling the truth because you can hear my heart.” He inwardly melted at the glorious smile that spread across his daughter’s face—Angel had him wrapped around her little finger just because she was so damned happy, but she was a good kid and didn’t take advantage too often. 

“Can I have another hot chocolate before we go and meet Papa and Van at home?”

“I’m not sure about that—there’s caffeine in these things and I don’t want you climbing the walls when it’s time for bed. How about I make you some home-made hot chocolate when we get home after you’ve shown Papa everything you’ve bought?”

“Really?” Her green eyes opened wide with delight.

“Oh yes!! I think Papa would **love** a fashion show when we get home!” He managed to keep a straight face as she began to chatter excitedly about how she would need to show Papa how each top went with each skirt, and the various combinations she could make with socks and bows for her hair. Yes, it was definitely a pyrrhic victory surviving the six weeks of summer only to have to face the trials and tribulations of shopping for the return to school, but he really wouldn’t have it any other way. Taking his daughter’s tiny hand in his, he hefted the multitude of bags in his other hand and headed towards the car-park—he was so going to enjoy Stiles having to sit through all of this!

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I may just be projecting onto Derek how I feel at the moment preparing for the end of the Summer Holidays and my youngest returning to school. 
> 
> Taming the Muse Prompt : Pyrrhic victor  
> Writing week : 209
> 
> Yes, the Faith here is Faith Lehane from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - don't ask me where the idea came from, but I just liked the idea of Derek finding more family and why the hell not a Slayer?!! This is my alternate universe and I'll do what I like, LOL!!! So maybe we'll see Faith and some of the other Scoobies popping into Beacon Hills!
> 
> * * *


End file.
